CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – For the first time in program history, the Texas A&M-Kingsville beach volleyball team scored sweeps over two Division I teams in one day, first dominating the Utah Utes, 5-0, then securing another 5-0 shutout, this one over the Houston Baptist Huskies on Friday afternoon at Water's Edge Park in Corpus Christi, Texas.
These two victories push the Javs record to 9-6 and they've won four of their last five. This is also the first time in 2021 they've swept consecutive opponents.
"I thought we showed a lot of fight today," said coach Tanya Allen. "It was very windy and we did a good job adjusting to the wind, but mostly I'm proud of how we had a lot of fight in us and we worked really hard."
TAMUK vs. Utah
Only one set was closer than five points as the Javs brushed aside the Utes to earn their second-ever victory over a Power Five school. The first two flights were secured easily, with seniors Shelby Williams (New Braunfels, Texas) and Debra Rogers (Tulsa, Okla.) collected winning 21-12, 21-19 at No. 4 and freshmen Emily North (Red Oak, Texas) and Rylie Anderson (Justin, Texas) followed suit in the fifth spot, 21-9, 21-13. The sixth flight was also no contest, with senior TaylorLynn Noga (Anchorage, Alaska) and sophomore Christina Gragasin (Celina, Texas) cruising, 21-9, 21-3.
Sophomore Adrienne Van Brunt (Corpus Christi, Texas) and junior Macy Berg (San Antonio, Texas) didn't have much trouble in the No. 3 match en route to a 21-9, 21-15 triumph and junior Tenley Housler (Bulverde, Texas) and freshman Macie Satterwhite (Callisburg, Texas) took the second flight, 21-15, 21-11. The final piece of this sweep was secured by senior Olivia Nicholson (North Platte, Neb.) and Roxanne Morris (Goliad, Texas) in the No. 1 match, 21-19, 21-12.
TAMUK vs. Houston Baptist
The Huskies made life much more difficult in the next match, but it didn't stop TAMUK from recording its first-ever victory over HBU, which had previously defeated the Javs five straight times. North and Anderson narrowly came out on top in consecutive sets to lock down a 21-19, 21-18 win at No. 5. Rogers and Williams had to come from behind in their first set before pulling it out, 23-21, lost the second frame, but dominated the third for a 23-21, 11-21, 15-7 final.
Housler and Satterwhite erased an early deficit in the second stanza to battle their way to a 21-15, 21-19 sweep that ensured a Javelina victory. A third set was needed in both the first and third flights, but Berg and Van Brunt, followed by Nicholson and Morris, all took care of business in their matches to make sure the Javs finished the day without a blemish.
The Javelinas will return to the same courts for two more matches on Saturday, first facing Stephen F. Austin at 12 p.m., then battling Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 4:30 p.m. Fans can stay up-to-date with everything related to Javelina beach volleyball during the season by following @JavelinaBeach and @JavelinaSports on Twitter and Instagram, liking the Javelina Sports Facebook page, subscribing to the Javelina Athletics YouTube Channel and visiting Javelinathletics.com. Watch your Javelinas live today on the Javelina Sports Network sponsored by Mendoza's Pharmacy.
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